Bangladesh is seeking Malaysia’s influence – particularly its role as ASEAN chair – for rallying international efforts to address the country’s prolonged Rohingya refugee crisis, said Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Yunus made the remark to the Malaysian state news agency Bernama in a special interview before concluding his official visit to Malaysia on August 13. This interview was led by Bernama Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.
The chief adviser pointed out, “Malaysia’s experience in hosting Rohingya refugees, coupled with its leadership position in ASEAN, places this country in a unique position to push for a comprehensive regional solution.
“We are hoping that Malaysia will put its influence in the whole negotiation to make sure that we can overcome this problem.”
Yunus also warned that the refugee crisis has deepened amid ongoing fighting in Myanmar’s Rakhine state between the Arakan Army and government forces, forcing fresh waves of Rohingyas fleeing across the border into Bangladesh.
Commenting on the gravity of the refugee situation, Yunus said, “In the last 18 months alone, 150,000 new Rohingyas have arrived, in addition to the 1.2 million already in Bangladesh. It becomes more acute.
“And worst of it, the US has cut off all the funds to maintain them. So that is a huge problem for us.”
The chief adviser said three international conferences on the Rohingya will be convened in the coming months to seek a sustainable solution.
The first is scheduled in Cox’s Bazar at the end of this month, coinciding with the eighth anniversary of Bangladesh assuming responsibility for hosting Rohingya refugees fleeing hostilities in their home state.
The second high-level meeting will take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, while the third is planned for year-end in Doha, Qatar.
Repatriation efforts have made little progress, further complicated by the ongoing armed conflict in Myanmar since 2021. The protracted humanitarian crisis continues to affect not only Bangladesh but also several ASEAN member states, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.
Malaysia, though not a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, continues to temporarily host nearly 150,000 Rohingya refugees on a humanitarian basis.
The Rohingya crisis began in 2017 following a military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, which triggered a mass exodus of Rohingya into Bangladesh.